18th Month Trial from January – Motorcyclists to use Cycle/Bus Lanes

Boris Johnson to allow motorcyclists to use most bus lanes, claiming it would endanger lives.

Motorcyclistswill be able to share red route bus lanes with cyclists, black taxis and buses from 5 January. If the Mayor judges the 18-month trial a success the lanes will be opened permanently.

But cyclists today claimed the move would make them even more vulnerable to accidents. Transport for London said it hoped the measure would reduce accident rates and traffic queues in the capital.

The scheme would cover motorcycles, scooters, tricycles and mopeds but exclude motorcycles with sidecars. It comes on the back of a three-year pilot project in Brixton Road and Finchley Road in which motorcyclists used the bus lane. The number of collisions dropped by 42 per cent.

Former mayor Ken Livingstone and the London Cycling Campaign have dismissed the results. The plan received a mixed reception from road-users. Namdeo Kadkar, 28, an artist of Peckham, said: “Motorcyclists and moped riders tend to dart in and out all of a sudden. This is bound to make it even more dangerous for cyclists.”

Fortunately, it is only a trial, so it is important that cyclists video dangerous motorcyclists on Youtube so the public are aware.

I will report any motorcyclist/cyclist ‘deaths’ on bus/cycle lanes and if you know of any, please email me on theurbancyclist at gmail.com. I am going to create a new blog for cyclists deaths by motorbikes on bus/cycle lanes.